Macon cemetery had bad conditions on plots. One man decided to take on some upkeep himself

A social media post from someone frustrated by a lack of upkeep at the Rose Hill Cemetery in Macon led to an unexpected act of kindness.

Cliff Rozar, who was visiting the area for a class reunion at Miller-Lanier High School, said on social media that he visited relatives buried at Rose Hill and found the plots were overgrown and in poor shape. The post, shared in the MACON, GA on my MIND group in late August, stated that Rozar was both surprised and disappointed.

“The plots looked like the grass had not been cut this summer as did all the surrounding plots,” the post read.

Rozar, a native Maconite who now lives in Ballwin, Missouri, said in the post that because he visited the cemetery on a Saturday, the office was closed and there was no one to talk to regarding the neglected condition of the plots.

Rozar’s great-grandparents, grandparents, and parents are buried at Rose Hill Cemetery.

“I did not have a tape measure but the tallest grass was just below my knees, which is 16 inches from the ground,” he said.

The post caught the attention of Phillip Dent, and he decided to take action.

Despite the fact that he and Rozar had never met, Dent commented on Rozar’s post asking him for the location of the plots. Dent went to Rose Hill Cemetery that same afternoon and mowed the overgrown grass around he family’s resting place.

Dent, who had moved away from Macon for a decade before returning in the late 1980s, said he felt that helping out was a natural extension of his values.

“It was like a whisper in my ear that Cliff Rozar could use my help,” Dent said. “In the world we live in today, love and kindness are essential. We’ve strayed from these values, including myself, and I’m trying to get back to those roots.”

Dent said he grew up in Macon at a time when neighbors helped neighbors.

Rozar said he was deeply moved by Dent’s gesture and said it reflects the broader sense of community and mutual support that defines Macon.

“I was shocked at his response and offered to pay him, but he refused,” he said. “It was fantastic to know that people still care and are willing to help someone they have never met. It’s a testament to the enduring spirit of Southern hospitality.”

Rozar shared that the cemetery is kept up with the help of Rose Hill Preservation and Restoration,Inc., a non-profit run by individuals who care about the cemetery.

He reached out to the group and received an email response from group treasurer Betsy Robinson. In the email, Robinson explained that while things have improved over the years, security and plot maintenance are still a big problem.

Robinson didn’t reply to a request for comment from The Telegraph, but Rozar shared Robinson’s email.

Robinson said she usually cleans the headstones as she doesn’t have a gas or battery operated weed eater to maintain the grass. In the email to Rozar, she apologized for the conditions of his family’s plots and agreed the cemetery needed more attention.

In July, Rose Hill Cemetery was vandalized, leaving several headstones knocked over causing thousands of dollars worth of damage.

Dent said the community’s response to Rozar’s post underscores a collective commitment to caring for one another, even in the face of challenges. He suggested starting a volunteer group to help with the cemetery’s upkeep.

“There were several people who offered assistance, so I wasn’t the only one. This says a lot about our community,” he said. “I love Macon and Rose Hill Cemetery. I have ancestors buried in one of the few mausoleums there. Can we get a group of volunteers to help - sure let’s do it.”